What We Did On Our Holidays: Part 5

We went to see an old friend, Isabel. We'd lost touch for a few years while she was going through a horrible separation. She used to live in this slice of heaven, until her husband broke too many of her ribs. She's now regained her feet in Dunoon, a ferry ride away, and has a lovely house and a satisfying job organising homecare services.

Isabel's friend Andrew took us out on his boat and we tootled along the Holy Loch (where our nuclear arsenal is kept) and Loch Goil:



I'm not 'an animal person', but we've always been very fond of Isabel's dog, Alligin. She used to hop uninvited into the boat from the island with us and into our car with us. One time we went a walk at this gorgeous beach and she kept on running up and down the full 2 miles until we thought her wee legs would get worn down. She was amazingly sweet natured, and the only reason she used to bark at seals was because she wanted them to be friends. ('What are those strange fishy dogs?'):



But she was getting on in years, and on the boat, she first fell down a hatch to the lower deck, and then fell into the harbour. (The mind said 'I can jump that.' The legs said 'No you can't'. Sadly the next day she fell off the boat again and is no more.